


Lip Balm

by Miraculous Mumma (Andromedanewton)



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Accidental Identity Reveal, F/M, Lipstick & Lip Gloss, short but sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-21
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-04-05 17:06:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14048868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Andromedanewton/pseuds/Miraculous%20Mumma
Summary: Adrien's split lip leads him to a revelation...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just threw this one together this evening, I personally use a lot of lip balm due to easily split lips, so that was my inspiration!

‘Dammit.’Adrien muttered to himself, his fingers going to his lips where he had just felt a crack.Stupid cold weather and he had left his lip balm at home.His father liked him to stay moisturised, it minimised the need for airbrushing after photoshoots, but today it had slipped his mind.Now he had sore, chapped lips and would no doubt later get a lecture to go with it.

‘What’s up, my dude?’Nino asked, leaning in where they were eating lunch at a table in the cafeteria.

‘Split lip.’Adrien was relieved not to see blood.‘My father will kill me.’

‘Over a split lip?’Nino looked at him doubtfully.

‘Okay, maybe not kill me, but he’ll start trying to tell me that school is a bad idea as it makes me ignore my personal care routine.’

‘Just see if one of the girls has some lip stuff.’Nino glanced around, spotting Alya and Marinette heading their way.‘Hey, ladies, either of you have any lip stuff?’

‘If you want a kiss you only have to ask.’Alya grinned, leaning towards Nino as she put her tray down and planting a soft kiss on his lips.

‘Hey.’Adrien greeted Marinette as she took the seat between him and Alya at the circular table.

‘Hi.’She flashed him a shy smile.

‘So, what Nino actually wanted,’ he waved a hand at the lip locked couple, ‘was to see if you have any lip balm or salve?I split my lip.’He showed her the little cut, and she frowned at it.

‘That looks sore.’She said quietly, popping open her purse.‘I do have some, but, uh, it’s scented.’

‘I don’t mind, as long as it helps.’He smiled his gratitude.‘If you don’t mind?’

‘Oh, I don’t mind.’She found what she was looking for, or more accurately Tikki shoved it into her hand.‘It’s one my family sent me from China.’She explained, offering the pot that was covered in chibi animals.

‘Wow, it’s…cute.’He replied, their fingers brushing as he took the pot from her, not noticing the blush that scored her cheeks.‘Thanks.’He popped the top and applied it, noting the good quality of the product and how his lip felt better already.‘So much better.’He offered her the pot back.‘And the scent is amazing.’

‘It’s kiwi and passionfruit.’She told him.‘If you need it, give it back to me at the end of the day.’She offered.‘It’s okay.’

‘If you’re certain?’

‘Uh huh.’She nodded.

‘Thanks.’He rested it beside his lunch, and they continued, Alya and Nino finally parting again, and they spoke about their morning classes and the homework assigned.At the end of the day Adrien returned the lip balm to Marinette, grateful and fully intent on buying her something to thank her.The scent of the balm was probably the nicest he had ever come across, and it lingered in his senses for some time afterwards.He wondered if he could find the product online, but decided to look later, for now he had to meet his lady for patrol.

 

Marinette sighed as she looked at the lip balm she had placed on her desk.Adrien had used it.Adrien had used it a lot.She could still picture him rubbing the scented balm over his lips, smiling gratefully at her, and she sighed again.

‘Marinette?’

‘Hmm?’She looked up, finding Tikki floating in her eye line, giggling softly.

‘You have patrol.’Her kwami reminded her.

‘Oh, of course!Tikki, spots on!’She said, getting to her feet.Her transformation spread over her and she turned towards her hatch, but first paused and applied some lip balm, before carrying on to her patrol.

 

Twenty minutes later she met Chat atop Notre Dame.He was already there, looking out over the city, when she arrived.

‘Evening, Chaton.’She greeted him.

‘My lady.’He glanced at her with a smile, before going back to watching the streets.

‘Quiet tonight.’

‘The cold puts off even the most hardened criminal.’

She chuckled.‘Apparently so.Shall we do one more circuit and call it a night?’

‘It’s still early.’He tilted his head and regarded her curiously.

‘Like you said, it’s cold.’She shrugged, walking behind him to get a look from the other side of the building.

‘We could always go for a hot drink, what do you say?’He grinned.

‘I think I’d just as soon get an early night.’

‘As you wish, Bugaboo.’He gave a brief bow.

‘See you soon, minou.’She smiled, before swinging her yo-yo and stepping off the building, her departure rustling Chat’s hair, which was when he caught a scent on the breeze, his eyes going wide in shock.

Kiwi and passionfruit.


	2. The morning after

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien is still stunned by his realisation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this damn thing has run away with me! This is loooooooooooong. Hope you enjoy it, I have the next chapter mostly done already. I have no idea how long it will be but hopefully not too long!

Adrien was at school early the next morning.He wasn’t sure if he had slept, wasn’t sure if he even ate breakfast, although he had definitely sat at the table, he was so far on cloud nine everything else was a blur.He hadn’t even been able to tell Plagg what was wrong, not that anything was wrong.Everything was perfect, and just…perfect.

‘Do we just leave him like that?’Alya asked, poking his leg with her toes.

‘I don’t know.’Nino got down in Adrien’s face, waving his hand between them.‘Yo, dude, come on!’

‘Hmm, what?’Adrien looked at them in confusion, as though they had suddenly just appeared.‘Oh, hey guys.’He leant to the side and looked around them.He was sitting on the bottom of the stairs watching the front doors.Or he had been.He now couldn’t see for his friends standing between them.‘Is Marinette here yet?’

‘That’s who you’re waiting for?’Alya asked as Nino straightened again.

‘Uh huh.Is she here?’

‘Dude, you know she’s always late.First bell already rang, speak to her between classes.’

‘It’s okay, I’ll wait.’

They looked at each other.Adrien had expressed regularly that his father didn’t like him being tardy, this wasn’t like him.

‘Okay, mister, you are not breaking your perfect attendance record.’Alya grabbed him under the arm and pulled him to his feet.

‘But Marinette…’He began to argue.

‘But Marinette is on her way, she text me like five minutes ago.’Alya argued.‘You’ll see her in class for whatever this is that can’t wait!’

Adrien gave her a desperate look, realising she was right.He had hoped, just this once, that Marinette would be on time.‘Okay, fine.’He sighed, and she let him go.

‘What do you want to see Marinette so desperately for anyway?’Nino asked as they started up the stairs.

‘Desperately?Who said it was desperate?I’m not desperate.’Adrien said rapidly.

Alya and Nino shared a look.'Love struck?’

‘Love struck.’Alya agreed.

‘What?’Adrien looked between them in confusion.

‘Just get to your seat.’They marched him through the door and deposited him behind his desk before going to their own, the rest of their class still filing in.

‘Dude, you need to chill.’Nino said, leaning into him, noticing his friend’s leg jumping.

‘What, chill?No, I’m chill, I’m so chill right now you don’t even know.Is Marinette always this late?’

Nino smirked and pushed his glasses back up.‘Yes.When did you get it this bad, man?’

‘Bad?I don’t have anything bad…is it my breath?’He worriedly huffed into his hand.

‘You aren’t even thinking straight, right?’

‘What?’

‘Brain like mush?Heartbeat too fast?Can’t get her out of your mind?’

‘What?’

He lowered his voice as Chloe passed, flipping her hair and sending Adrien a wink to go with her irritating greeting.‘Marinette!’

‘She’s here?’Adrien turned his attention back to the door.

‘No!’Nino laughed.

‘You like her, right?’Alya asked, leaning almost all the way over her desk.

‘I always liked her, Marinette’s sweet, what’s not to like?’Adrien said defensively.

‘But now you liiiiiiiike her.’Alya smiled knowingly.‘My ship is finally coming in!’

‘Babe, calm down.’Nino laughed at her enthusiasm.

‘Who mentioned ships?’Adrien looked between them in confusion.

‘Good morning, class.’They stopped talking as Mademoiselle Bustier entered the classroom, Alya returning to her seat, and a fraction of a second later Marinette snuck into the classroom, sidling up the wall while the teacher’s back was turned and climbing around Alya to her seat.

‘I know, I know.’She murmured, unpacking her tablet.

‘Girl, you really don’t.’Alya flicked her eyes to Adrien and back to Marinette, who screwed up her nose and frowned, not understanding.Alya instead tilted her head in Adrien’s direction, and not subtly, until Marinette’s eyes switched to understanding.There was something about Adrien she needed to check out.She knew if Alya had pointed it out, it would be worth looking at, and she turned…only to make eye contact with Adrien who had apparently been staring at her.

‘Hi.’He mouthed at her, smiling broadly.

Marinette didn’t know how to respond, she hadn’t expected Adrien to be looking at her.Alya kicked her under the table, and she quickly waved, an awkward smile spreading across her face as she did so.

Mademoiselle Bustier began role call, meaning Adrien had to face the front, but for all his relief at Marinette having arrived, he couldn’t concentrate, knowing she was behind him.Knowing Ladybug was behind him.Knowing she had always been behind him.Right there, in reach, this whole time.It was as frustrating as it was amazing.

The morning classes seemed to drag but finally recess arrived and the class packed up their bags, talking amongst themselves.Their last lesson had been physics, and Ms Mendeleiev had been less than kind.

‘Do you get what she meant?For the homework?’Marinette asked Alya as they closed their bags.

‘Mostly.’Alya replied.‘She said most of the answers we already covered, so it should be a breeze.’

‘Should be.’Marinette mumbled.

‘I know it’s not your favourite subject, girl, but you got this.’Alya encouraged her.

‘I’m glad one of us has faith in me.’Marinette turned in her seat to step out, and almost walked straight into Adrien, who was waiting patiently for her to finish packing up and talking.

‘Hey, Marinette, um, hey.’

‘Haid, Idrien, I mean hi, Adrien.’She rapidly corrected herself.

‘I was thinking,’ Adrien began, rubbing the back of his neck nervously, ‘can I walk with you to next period?

‘Sure, I guess we’re all going that way, right?It’s recess, so snacks, but yeah, we can do the walking thing.’She said rapidly.

‘Great!’He replied, overly loudly, then corrected his volume to a more acceptable level.‘I wanted to ask you about your lip balm too.’

She fell into step beside him.‘My lip balm?Do you need it again?I have it here somewhere.’She opened her bag and started feeling around, not realising she was about to walk straight into the wall by the door.

‘No!’Adrien grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him, out of harms way, or at least away from the wall, but he forgot to take into account Marinette’s ability to fall over thin air.She stumbled into Adrien, who in turn stumbled back, his arms automatically steadying Marinette until his back hit the wall, Marinette’s cheek pressed against his chest, her hands on his waist, while his were wrapped fully around her.‘Whoa, you okay?’

Marinette flushed scarlet, her entire face burning as she pushed herself upright, but couldn’t go far, as Adrien held her firm.‘Fine I’m!I’m fine!’Marinette said rapidly.

‘You nearly walked into the wall, I didn’t mean to nearly pull you over.’

‘What a pair of dorks.’Alya said with a smile, leaning against Nino.

‘Yeah, but they’re our dorks.’

‘They are that.’She nodded.‘Let’s give them some privacy.’The snuck out of the classroom, leaving Adrien and Marinette alone, even Ms Mendeleiev had gone.

‘Sorry!’They both said at once, Marinette stepping back so rapidly Adrien had to let her go.

‘I wanted to ask, about the lip balm.’Adrien asked, his arms feeling emptier for her no long being in them.

‘But you don’t want to borrow it again?’She checked, her hand going to her bag automatically.

‘No, but it really helped, and I’d like to buy you some more, as a thank you, and some for myself.The scent really is one of a kind.’

‘You don’t have to buy me any.’She shook her head.‘I’m just happy to help.’

‘Then would you help me search online to see if we can find it?Maybe at lunch?Use the library computer?’

‘Okay.’She nodded, excited at the prospect of spending the entire lunch break with Adrien.

‘Great!’

They left the classroom together, joining Alya and Nino for their brief break, neither one really talking about what had happened, but the looks from their friends were pointed and deliberate.Towards the end, Marinette excused herself to go to the bathroom, and Alya quickly followed.

‘Spill it, what did Adrien say?’Alya asked the second the door closed.

‘He wants me to help him shop for lip balm.’

‘He wants…what?’Alya pulled a confused expression.‘Did you just say he wants you to shop for lip balm with him?’

She shrugged.‘Apparently.’

Alya ground her teeth and counted to five.After all the sighing and goo goo eyes he had asked her to shop?She pulled out her phone and tapped out a quick message to Nino, telling him to ask what the hell?!

‘I don’t mind, anything with Adrien is awesome!’Marinette continued, so used to Alya being on her phone at any given moment, mostly to check the Ladyblog.

‘Yeah but shopping wasn’t exactly what you had in mind.’

‘Alya, it’s a start.’She smiled so genuinely that Alya had to concede.If it made Marinette happy, it wasn’t a bad thing.

 

‘Soooooo….’Nino leant right into Adrien’s personal space, a goofy grin on his face.

‘So?’Adrien side eyed him.

‘So, Marinette?’

‘So, Marinette what?’

‘So Marinette…and you…’

‘We what?’

‘You like her.’Nino said teasingly.

Adrien stared at him, trying really hard to keep a straight face, but failed, a grin bursting over his features.‘She’s amazing.’

‘You just realised?’Nino laughed.‘Dude, she’s always been amazing.’

‘I know, but it’s like I just saw her, you know?’Adrien faced him fully, turning on the bench so they were close enough not to be overheard.‘She’s so brave, and talented, and…’

‘Cute?’

‘So cute!And smart, and sweet, so resourceful, and…’

‘Dude, just ask her out.’

‘What?’Adrien reared back, eyes wide.‘I couldn’t just ask her!’

‘Oh my God.’Nino dropped his head, shaking it slightly.‘Yes, you could just ask her, you should just ask her!Please, just ask her!’

‘That simple?’

‘That simple.’

‘What if she says no?’Adrien whispered harshly.

‘I promise, dude, she will not say no.’

‘How can you be sure?’

‘Adrien, you’re my main dude and all, but you are as dumb as a bag of rocks when it comes to girls.’

‘What?’Adrien gave him an insulted look.

‘They’re coming back.’He nudged him with his foot.‘Do it!’

‘Now?’Adrien looked horrified, his cheeks flushing.

‘Now or lunch, whatever!But ask today!’

Adrien nodded, the bell sounding the start of the next lesson, and they all started towards the classroom, both Marinette and Adrien too embarrassed to say anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hereby dedicate this chapter to LazyWorkaholic. You seriously cheered my afternoon!


	3. Closer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shopping for lip balm, and Plagg offers some "advice".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if this is any good, but let me know what you think! It's still going on in my head, and I'm trying to get it onto electronic paper! There will be a full disclosure reveal eventually!!!

‘That’s a lot for postage.’Marinette looked at the total disappointedly.She and Adrien had easily found the lip balm online, but the real sting was the cost of having it shipped from China.

‘Yeah.’Adrien sighed, looking at Marinette’s perfect profile as she scrolled down the page.

‘So shall we look for another site?Because that’s ridiculous.’She turned to him and found his face so close to hers that it took her a moment to focus on his green eyes.‘Uh…’

‘What?’He asked, he really hadn’t been listening, but he suddenly found himself drowning in her bluebell depths.

‘What?’She murmured, equally as incoherently.

‘The lip balm.’Adrien said suddenly, remembering what they were doing.

‘It’s…it’s expensive.’Marinette managed to stutter.

‘Doesn’t matter.’He smiled.Whether conscious or not, they had moved infinitesimally closer, and Adrien realised he could smell the lip balm on her, see it glistening as he glanced down, his mind trying to memorise every freckle, every fleck in her eyes, her sweet breath on his cheek, her…

‘Ugh, there’s a loser on the computer.’Chloe’s voice made them break away as she came around the corner with Sabrina in tow, Adrien out of her view for now, but that didn’t stop a scowl from darkening his features.‘Get off there, Dupain Cheng, our need is greater than…ADRIKINS!’

Chloe’s attitude changed in a blink and she bundled her bag into Sabrina’s arms, raced around the table and shoved her way onto the chair beside Adrien, pushing Marinette to the edge of her seat, but Adrien’s arm wrapped around her, holding her in place so Chloe couldn’t push her out completely.Marinette was torn between being amazed that Adrien’s hand was on her hip or mad at Chloe.She decided to go for the latter.She could freak out about the other later.And she would.

‘We’re in the middle of something, Chlo.’Adrien said as he tried to pry her arms from around his neck.

‘Middle of what?Oh, shopping!’Chloe looked at the screen then screwed up her nose in disgust.‘Lip balm from China?Ew.’She closed the webpage.‘I have some made with the finest beeswax from…’

‘Chloe?’Adrien spoke harder this time, trying to get her attention.‘Marinette and I are almost done with the computer, then you can do whatever, but we’d like to finish.’

‘You…and her?’Chloe pointed to them each in turn.‘Honestly, Adrien, I’ve let your questionable…’

‘Don’t finish that sentence.’Adrien said warningly, before turning to Marinette at his side.‘We can finish this later, you want to come to my place after school?’

‘What?’Chloe gasped, as Adrien encouraged Marinette out of the seat, picking up not only his own bag, but hers too.

‘Sure, I have nothing else planned.’Marinette smiled in reply.

‘Adrien!’Chloe tried one more time to get his attention, and it worked, just not how she hoped.

‘The computer’s all yours.’He quirked her a quick grin, before encouraging Marinette out of the library.

‘What the actual heck?!’Chloe pouted, really not believing what had just happened.

 

‘What the heck is going on, kid?’Plagg asked the moment the bathroom door closed, swooping out of Adrien’s shirt to hover in front of his face.‘Why so friendly with pigtails all of a sudden?’

Adrien fixed him with a stare.‘Because I know, Plagg.’

‘You know Plagg?I should hope so, I’m right here.’He waved his arm in Adrien’s face.

‘No, Plagg, I _know_.’

‘Great, wanna tell me what the heck you’re talking about so I know too?’Plagg narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

‘I know she’s my lady.’

‘Whaaaaaat?’Plagg said exaggeratedly.‘No she’s not.’

‘I know she is, and I know you know it too.’Adrien put his hands on his hips, as though to challenge the kwami to deny it again.

Plagg huffed out a sigh.‘Fine, you’re right, but if Tikki asks, I didn’t confirm it!’

‘Tikki?’

‘Her kwami.’Plagg rolled his eyes.‘She’s a sweetie but she’d kick my ass if she thought I told.’

‘You’re not denying it?It’s Marinette?’Adrien grinned.

‘Yeah, congrats, kiddo.’

‘It’s Marinette.’Adrien sighed, then laughed.‘Holy crap, all this time sweet little Marinette has been throwing me halfway across Paris!’

‘And spurning your advances.’Plagg chuckled to himself.‘Kinda hilarious, given the crush she has on you and all.’

‘She what?’Adrien’s jaw dropped open, his eyes wide.

‘Tikki never told me I couldn’t tell you that.’He shrugged.‘I couldn’t say anything really unless you knew her identity, as you do and I didn’t blab, I can tell you that.’

‘Why couldn’t you tell me before?’

‘Because you would have got all awkward because she wasn’t Ladybug.Now you know she is, you can put this stupid love square to bed.’

‘Love square?’Adrien frowned at him, not understanding.

Plagg rolled his eyes.‘You know what a love triangle is, right?’

‘Sure, angsty romance stuff between three people.’

‘Well, you’re involved in a love square, except there’s only two people, just four identities.’

‘I’m confused, what?’

Plagg rubbed his forehead.‘Okay.So there’s you, Adrien, and you, Chat.And Marinette who is also Ladybug, right?’

‘Right.’Adrien nodded.

‘Ladybug won’t give Chat the time of day, because as Marinette she’s head over heels with Adrien, just as Adrien doesn’t notice Marinette, because your thoughts are occupied by Ladybug.You’re already in love with each other, just not the same identities at the same time.’

‘You think she’ll hate I’m Chat?’He asked desperately.

‘I think it’ll be a laugh finding out.’Plagg grinned, swooping into Adrien’s shirt as the door opened and another student came in.Adrien pretended to be straightening his hair in the mirror before going to the door, pondering on what Plagg had told him.


	4. Plagg you little shit...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the end of the day, and Adrien is trying to pluck up his courage, while Marinette is trying not to freak out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it, your last chapter, all tied up in a neat little bow, I hope!

The end of the day could not come fast enough.Adrien couldn’t subtly turn around in his seat to look at Marinette, but it was all he could think about doing.Alya kept passing Marinette notes, telling her to be confident and not freak out that she was alone in Adrien’s room with him.Marinette hadn’t been freaked out, but now she was.She would be alone in Adrien’s room with him.With him, in his room, alone.She psyched herself up, mentally prepared herself, then the thought would hit her again and her cheeks would flush at the thought.Dammit!

The last bell rang and the class packed up their things, Alya nudging Marinette and tilting her head towards Adrien briefly before leaving, throwing a quick; ‘Text me!’Over her shoulder.Marinette waved, letting her know she had heard, and finished zipping up her bag.

Adrien stepped out from behind his desk and turned to his classmate with a smile.‘Ready?’He asked.

All Marinette could do was smile and nod, following him from the classroom and out to his waiting car.He asked her if she wanted to stay to do homework after they finished shopping, and she agreed, it would be nice to have someone to work with, and she knew Adrien knew his stuff when it came to physics.

He offered her a drink and snack when they arrived, turning on his computer while he grabbed their sodas, setting another chair beside his at the monitors and offering her a seat.

‘So, I think I remember where we found it.’Adrien said as he opened the browser.

‘Found it?’She asked, forgetting what they were looking for.

‘The lip balm.’He reminded her with a smile.

‘Oh, right!’She helped him spell out the brand so they were searching for the right thing.‘This first site was the one with the expensive shipping costs, want to try a different one?’She asked, leaning over to point at the screen, catching a glimpse of his shirt moving and a flash of black disappearing over his shoulder as she did.She frowned for a moment, then put it down to the late night she had had.

‘Let’s open that one in a separate tab so we know where we can definitely find it if we need to.’He clicked his mouse and went to the next listing, rubbing the back of his head as he felt like something touched his hair.

‘You okay?’She frowned at his obvious discomfort.

‘Yeah, it’s…nothing.’He murmured, looking over his shoulder as though he expected to see something, and on the edge of his hearing he could hear a certain little destruction deity snickering.

‘If you’re sure.’She replied, watching as he went to the next site.

They scrolled for a while, and Marinette reached for her soda, not really paying attention, but she turned when her hand grasped at nothing.She was sure her drink had been right there, but it was across the desk.Funny, she didn’t remember putting it there.

‘Okay?’Adrien noticed her blind groping at nothing and frowned at her.

‘Forgot where I put my drink.’She murmured, picking up the can and taking a sip, which was when Adrien saw Plagg dart behind a pile of books from where the can had been.He narrowed his eyes, but really couldn’t say anything without drawing his attention to the kwami.

‘This one looks good.’Adrien said as they viewed the latest site.‘They have money off and it’s less shipping to get here.’

‘Delivery time is a bit longer.’Marinette said as she read over the terms.‘But their express delivery is still cheaper than the first site.’She pointed at the monitor, and it shut off.‘I swear I just pointed at it.’She said defensively.

Adrien hit the keyboard a few times but still nothing happened, and he stood, leaning behind his monitor, finding the power cable completely loose.‘That’s weird.’He said loudly, his voice irritated.‘The power lead fell out.’

‘That is weird.’Marinette agreed, starting to think maybe he had a gremlin, or a computer hating akuma victim in his room.

Adrien pushed the plug back in and looked around the back of his computer for the green glowing eyes he suspected were behind this prank.If he wasn’t careful, Plagg would out Adrien before he got the chance to speak to her about it.

‘Okay, I plagged it back in, I mean, plugged it back in.’Adrien corrected himself.‘I think I’ll order from this one.’He added them to his basket and went through the checkout process.

Tikki pushed her way out of Marinette’s bag and checked the coast was clear, knowing something was going on, that her counterpart was causing trouble when he shouldn’t be, and she slipped out of the bag and beneath the desk where she could even now hear him giggling.

‘What are you doing?’She whispered harshly, looking at his amused face.

‘I’m messing with them.’He replied simply.

‘If you’re seen…’

‘Then they’re even.’Plagg shrugged.‘Big deal.Adrien already knows.’

‘He _knows?!_ ’Tikki asked in horror.‘You didn’t…’

‘Nah, not stupid enough to risk your wrath, spots.’He waved his hand dismissively.‘He figured it out all on his own.’

‘How?’

‘He’s going to tell her.’He nodded towards the legs of the teens at the desk.

‘He can’t do that!’Tikki started towards them, but Plagg caught her and pulled her back.

‘He’s going to anyway.We may as well just sit back and enjoy the show.’

‘Plagg…’

‘Aw, you used to be fun.’He pouted.

‘I’m still fun.’Tikki argued.

‘Then just watch the fireworks with me.’

With a sigh, Tikki sat beside him, listening intently to the conversation above.

‘You want to do physics first?’Adrien asked as he completed his transaction.

‘Okay, but I’m not great at it.’She apologised as they went to their bags on the couch.‘You’d probably be faster doing it without me.’

‘I’m actually really enjoying the company.’He smiled, rubbing the back of his neck nervously, as her cheeks flushed pink.

‘Me too.’She admitted, taking out her book and tablet.

‘Actually, there was something I wanted to talk to you about.’He said quickly, taking the book and tablet from her hand and putting them on the table.

‘Oh?’Marinette asked, little more than a noise on her breath rather than an actual word.

‘Here, let’s sit.’He sat on the couch and after a moment she sank down beside him.

‘Is something wrong?’She asked as he ran his hand into his hair, obviously nervous about something.

‘Not wrong, no, but I don’t want you to freak out, so just, stay calm, okay?’

That sentence alone was almost enough to make her freak out, but instead she just nodded.

‘Okay, cool.So, Marinette, um…’He glanced down and on a whim decided to take her hand.

Marinette’s eyes went wide at his actions, looking up at him in surprise as he struggled to find the words.

‘I just wanted you to know, and you don’t need to feel bad or anything about this,’ he rambled, ‘but…I know.’

‘You…know?’She asked hesitantly.

He nodded.‘I know.’

‘Okay.What do you know?’Marinette frowned.

‘I know that, uh, that you’re,’ he leant in, ‘Ladybug.’

Marinette just stared at him.He knew.He actually knew the thing he shouldn’t know.What did she do?There was no manual on what to do if your secret identity was discovered, let alone it be by your crush.In the end she simply said.‘Oh.’Followed by; ‘How?’

‘It wasn’t your fault.’He said quickly.‘And it wasn’t my fault, it was an accident.I recognised your lip balm.I’d been wearing it all day and then went you went by me, I smelled it, and it’s just, it’s different, and pretty recognisable, and I’m sorry, I know you didn’t want me to find out, let alone like this.’

‘You…you smelled it?’She said, not understanding when she had been near enough to Adrien as Ladybug for him to do so.

‘My, uh, my sense of smell is better, when I’m transformed.’

Marinette digested what he said, taking in his green eyes, what had been before her the entire time, literally under her nose, and she pressed her lips together as she tried to control her emotions, and failing miserably.She started to laugh, and laugh hard.She laughed until tears formed in her eyes and her stomach hurt from it, and she squeezed Adrien’s hand in hers, the touch helping her ground herself.

‘I’m sorry.I’m sorry.’She wiped at her eyes as she tried to compose herself, still chuckling as she came down from the ridiculousness of the situation.She looked at him, really looked, and tilted her head to one side, a small frown creasing her brow.‘Kitty?’She asked, as though needing it confirmed.

‘At your service, my lady.’He raised her hand and kissed it, and she let him, her eyes softening.

‘I’ve been in love with my crime fighting partner this whole time.’She whispered, and Adrien’s heart skipped a beat at her confession.

‘And I’ve been in love with my shy classmate.’

She shook her head.‘Honestly, we’re pretty bad at this.’

He shrugged.‘Sometimes you can’t see what’s right in front of you.’

‘Very true.’She nudged him with her knee, feeling some of the confidence she felt as Ladybug seeping through, knowing Adrien knew both sides of her, and he deserved to see both.‘So, kitty, do you still want to kiss me, now you know the girl behind the mask?’

He smiled broadly at her forwardness.‘I’d actually really like to find out how that lip balm tastes secondhand.’

‘Busted by a lip balm.’She shook her head before taking hold of the front of his shirt and pulling him towards her.‘Let me know how it tastes, minou.’

Adrien couldn’t make sense of much as his lady kissed him, it pretty much beat anything he had ever experienced, but he was aware, somewhere in the back of his mind where he was still aware of what was going on around him, of two small voices cheering.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you go, all done! Let me know what you think! I have a multi chapter marichat on the go at the mo, as well as my big multi chapter story which is not anywhere close to complete, but the marichat shouldn't be too long, I could even post the first few chapters tonight, if you wanted? Any takers!
> 
> For now, Miraculous Mumma out!

**Author's Note:**

> Do we think this needs a second chapter? I admit, I am tempted!


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